Entries for 2014 Two Oceans open today

Online entries for the 2014 ‘Designed to Run’ Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon open at 10am today. The 45th Ultra Marathon will take place on Easter Saturday, 19 April 2014, and the entry limit of 11,000 runners is expected to be reached.

To participate in the Ultra Marathon, runners must have completed at least one full marathon (42.2km) after 1 July 2013 in a time of less than five hours. Qualifying times are not required on entry, but may be submitted at a later stage. South African Ultra Marathon entrants are also required to belong to a registered running club and have a valid running licence. No temporary licences will be issued to Ultra Marathon runners.
Old Mutual’s R1 million challenge

In their 15th year as title sponsor in 2014, Old Mutual will be rewarding an additional R1 million to the winning male and female runner respectively, should they break the record for the 56km Ultra Marathon in 2014. This will be in addition to the R250 000 prize money that can be won.

The men’s record of 3:03:44 was set in 1988 by road running legend Thompson Magawana, while Frith van der Merwe set the women’s record a year later in 1989 when she ran 3:30:36.

The closest any runner has come since then is three time champion Marko Mambo from Zimbabwe, who ran 3:05:39 in 2005. Russian Olesya Nurgalieva ran the second fastest women’s time in 2008 when she crossed the finish line in 3:34:53.

“We want to encourage top runners from around the world to come and compete in the biggest road running event on the African continent,” said Ralph Mupita, CEO for Old Mutual Emerging Markets.

Half Marathon Entries

To alleviate the pressure on the online system, and to give runners a fair chance to enter, a phased approach to the 2014 Half Marathon entries has been introduced:

Runners are encouraged to update or create their personal profiles and medical aid details on the entry system from 17 October.

Blue and Light Blue Number holders may enter from 10am on 5 November (limited to 1,000 entrants).

Runners with valid SA running club licences may enter from 10am on 11 November (limited to 5,500 entrants).

Previous Two Oceans Half and Ultra Marathon and Trail Run finishers may enter from 10am on 14 November (limited to 2,000 entrants).

New entrants, previous participants who finished outside the cut-off and those who missed their original entry batch may submit their applications into the entry draw from 10am on 22 January 2014. A random electronic draw on 23 January will select 6,000 entrants who may proceed to pay for their entry.

Entries into the popular Trail Runs will open at 10am on 2 December, with an entry limit of 400 runners for the 10km and 22km trail runs respectively. Trail enthusiasts are advised to enter early, as both distances sold out within hours of entries opening last year.

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